7 Early Sword and Sorcery Movies

[NadgersFishtoaster]

If people though D&D: the movie was bad then they may have not seen other films from the post-D&D sword and sorcery genre. I've chosen a cluster of 7 from around the same time period, some are good - some are so bad they are good.

Hawk the Slayer (1980) A hero assembles the last dwarf, last elf, the last giant and the last man with a repeating crossbow. As corny as it sounds.

Excalibur (1981) About the best film that could be made at the time, with a very dry Merlin and a whole battlefield full of conflict and tragedy.

Dragonslayer (1981) A film that benefited from being no more bizarre than it needed to be. Features some serious crafting sequences ...

The Sword and the Sorcerer (1982) A gimmicky, unwieldy sword is used for the hero to slash his gorey way towards an excessive doom, which for him is doddle.

The Beastmaster (1982) A film where a hero with a set of wild beasts, which appear and disappear when needed, does his thing. The ferrets and the heroine star.

Conan the Barbarian (1982) A film that nearly did the Conan series some good but this was a time when fantasy films had to cheesy. It was compulsory.

Krull (1983) A truly bizarre film where it often seems that it is being made up as it goes along. The even mislabel the central weapon as a "glaive".

Note that watching Excalibur after Monty Python and the Holy Grail is recommended. It is a rather surreal double bill but a very enjoyable one.

[SaisMatters]

Here's some that you forgot.

Red Sonya(1985)
Willow (1988)

and my favorite
Highlander(1986)

[Uska]

If people though D&D: the movie was bad then they may have not seen other films from the post-D&D sword and sorcery genre. I've chosen a cluster of 7 from around the same time period, some are good - some are so bad they are good.

Hawk the Slayer (1980) A hero assembles the last dwarf, last elf, the last giant and the last man with a repeating crossbow. As corny as it sounds.

Excalibur (1981) About the best film that could be made at the time, with a very dry Merlin and a whole battlefield full of conflict and tragedy.

Dragonslayer (1981) A film that benefited from being no more bizarre than it needed to be. Features some serious crafting sequences ...

The Sword and the Sorcerer (1982) A gimmicky, unwieldy sword is used for the hero to slash his gorey way towards an excessive doom, which for him is doddle.

The Beastmaster (1982) A film where a hero with a set of wild beasts, which appear and disappear when needed, does his thing. The ferrets and the heroine star.

Conan the Barbarian (1982) A film that nearly did the Conan series some good but this was a time when fantasy films had to cheesy. It was compulsory.

Krull (1983) A truly bizarre film where it often seems that it is being made up as it goes along. The even mislabel the central weapon as a "glaive".

Note that watching Excalibur after Monty Python and the Holy Grail is recommended. It is a rather surreal double bill but a very enjoyable one.

I enjoyed all of those and truly love dragon slayer I cant say the same about either of the dungeons and dragons movies

[Eladiun]

I cant say the same about either of the dungeons and dragons movies

Come on one of those movies had Wayanses, it had to be good.

[jwdaniels]

Krull didn't have a weapon mis-labeled as a glaive, it had a weapon named The Glaive. Big difference.

[Geonis]

Does anyone remember an 80's flick where the main hero had a sword with 3 blades and the 2 on the side shot out?

I remember that at least at the time it was pretty good.

[mws2970]

Does anyone remember an 80's flick where the main hero had a sword with 3 blades and the 2 on the side shot out?

I remember that at least at the time it was pretty good.

The Sword and the Sorcerer.

[quintuss]

You just can't do such a list without Jim Hensons great The Dark Crystal (1982)

Edit: Doesn't exactly fit the bill but is to good to leave it out

[gabriul]

You just can't do such a list without Jim Hensons great The Dark Crystal (1982)

Creepiest puppets evar!

[Arctigis]

I actually think Conan the Barbarian is an awesome film. Fantastic Basil Poledouris soundtrack. Conan the
Destroyer on the other hand...

[Dartwick]

"The Archer: Fugitive from the Empire" 1981
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082027/

I remember watching it as a kid on TV and being young enough to think it was awesome.

[Mr_Ed7]

Well, fantasy movies from the 80's...

There are earlier ones.

AND MOST of them are better then the D&D movies.

Want to watch the best D&D movies---GET the LOTR series!

[NadgersFishtoaster]

I enjoyed all of those and truly love dragon slayer I cant say the same about either of the dungeons and dragons movies

At least they got Dave Arneson, the lesser know co-developer of D&D, to act as a consultant on the first film and it has cameos from people that English geeks have extreme respect for.

Tom Baker as the King of the Elves? Fantastic.

[Missing_Minds]

Ladyhawke, 1985
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089457/

Willow, 1988
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096446/

At least they got Dave Arneson, the lesser know co-developer of D&D, to act as a consultant on the first film and it has cameos from people that English geeks have extreme respect for.

Tom Baker as the King of the Elves? Fantastic.

I saw the second DnD movie. Best parts were that the dragon actually ate the cleric, and the mage ported into stone.
Skipped the first movie, but now hearing that.. I'll have to stick it into my list of bad movies to watch.

[Hendrik]

Ladyhawke, 1985
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089457/

Willow, 1988
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096446/



I saw the second DnD movie. Best parts were that the dragon actually ate the cleric, and the mage ported into stone.
Skipped the first movie, but now hearing that.. I'll have to stick it into my list of bad movies to watch.

Hehe...


Ladyhawk. Showing your age MM.

[Missing_Minds]

Hehe...


Ladyhawk. Showing your age MM.

Showing my age? Challenge accepted!

The Court Jester. 1955
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049096/

Tongue teasers, midgets, knights, jousting, knaves, minstrels/bards, swashbuckling, and Angela Lansbury was hot.

[NadgersFishtoaster]

Here's some that you forgot.

Red Sonya(1985)
Willow (1988)

and my favorite
Highlander(1986)

My list was from my adolescence, when those ideas from D&D, and the wider fantasy genre it inspired/stimulated, began to percolate through UK popular culture.

We used to spot other gamers back then by their extended vocabulary, people being able to use words like "Dexterity" and "Constitution". We got our copy of OD&D from Games Workshop before they opened their first shop.

To get a feel for this time, here is a picture of the opening of that shop:



By 1984 I was off to read my degree, armed with an education boosted by a role-playing game that allowed me to make use of almost everything I could learn at school.

[LightSteel]

Gor and I think the second one was Outlaw of Gor or something like that

[Calebro]

Showing my age? Challenge accepted!

Angela Lansbury was hot.

Undisputed winner and champion.

[Nevthial]

Showing my age? Challenge accepted!

The Court Jester. 1955
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049096/

Tongue teasers, midgets, knights, jousting, knaves, minstrels/bards, swashbuckling, and Angela Lansbury was hot.

Flagon with the dragon FTW!